Chapter 9: Dagger in the Heart

March 25, 1990, Chicago, Illinois

“How was church this morning?” Jessica asked when Kara and I arrived at the hospital on Sunday afternoon.

“I always feel good when I leave there,” I said. “The music, incense, icons, and everything just work together to give me peace.”

The three of us exchanged hugs and kisses.

“Did Jesse go?”

“Yes! Do you think I’d be alive if he found out that Kara and I went to church and didn’t at least offer to take him?”

Jessica laughed, “Probably not. How was the rest of the day?”

“It was OK. Kara and I had a talk about the invitation, and the three of us need to talk.”

She looked at me, then at Kara, and nodded soberly, “OK.”

“How was your shift?” I asked.

“Busy, but not crazy. And nobody died. So all-in-all, a good day.”

“That’s good!” I replied.

“Did you hear about the terrible fire in New York City?” Jessica asked.

“I did,” I confirmed. “I checked with Abbie, and ‘Happy Land’ is not a club she’d ever been to. The news said it was an illegal club, and the last report was more than 70 dead.”

“The club you go to doesn’t have locked fire exits or anything like that?”

“No, it’s a popular, public, legal club.”

“Good.”

We walked the rest of the way in silence, holding hands. When we arrived home, we went upstairs so that Jess could shower, and when she’d finished, the three of us went to my study. Abbie was in the Indian room and I didn’t feel like kicking her out, because she enjoyed that room more than any other.

“Is everything OK between you two?” Jessica asked.

“I think so,” I said. “Despite my insensitivity. I was insensitive in even bringing up the invitation with Kara.”

“Kara? You can’t even discuss this?” Jessica asked gently.

“Could you?” Kara asked. “Really?”

Jessica sighed, “No, I suppose not. I owe you an apology as well.”

“It’s OK, Jess. You aren’t the one responsible for the situation.”

“I am,” I said. “And as I said, I was thoughtless and insensitive.”

“She can’t be part of your life in any way, shape, or form,” Kara said.

“What about Ben? I have business dealings with him.”

“I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to decide between that family and me. Deal with him on business issues only, but not in a situation where Becky could be there.”

“That might be more difficult than you think, but I’ll figure something out. I choose you.”

“Good. You know I love you, Snuggle Bear, and I trust you in every instance except with that girl. You’ve shown me twice that I can’t trust you around her. There can’t be a third time.”

“I know,” I said, chagrinned.

Now, I had to figure out what to say to Ben about declining the invitation. Calling Becky was out of the question, even though that might be a route to resolving the issue. I wondered if I could ask Alyson to talk to her on my behalf and relay the message. That was probably the only safe way to do it.

“Are we OK?” Jessica asked.

“Yes,” Kara said. “So long as our husband keeps the promise he just made.”

March 28, 1990, Chicago, Illinois

“Happy birthday, Honey!” I whispered when I climbed into bed after walking Jessica to work.

“Go to sleep, it’s too early,” Kara giggled.

“I’d rather make love to my wife on her birthday,” I whispered.

She turned to face me and, without opening her eyes, kissed me.

“Love me, Snuggle Bear,” she sighed.

Her ever-increasing belly meant I needed her to turn away from me, so I gently rolled her away. I cupped her swelling breast, then ran my hand over the taut skin that helped protect our son or daughter until I reached her pubic hair. I gently rubbed her clit and moved so that my swelling dick was against her butt. She lifted her leg slightly, and I positioned myself, then gently slid into the warm confines of her pussy.

“I love you, Kara,” I whispered as I began to gently thrust against her.

“I love you, too, Steve,” she whispered.

I teased Kara’s clit while I gently thrust in and out of her, bringing her to an orgasm, then another, and a third before I had my own release, filling her with cum. We lay together like that until I deflated, then we got up and showered together. When we finished, I dressed for my run with Jacquelyn, kissed Kara goodbye, and headed out.

After my run and a shower, I fixed breakfast for Kara and myself. After we ate, we spent some time with Birgit and Albert, and then Kara headed to IIT, and I headed to NIKA. I spent most of the morning coding, then headed to Medici for my monthly lunch with Al Barton. We had a good chat, and because things were going smoothly with Jessica at work and between Jessica, Kara, and me, our conversation covered a wide range of topics. After lunch, I returned to the office to work until it was time to meet Jessica at the hospital.

“Hey, Babe!”

We kissed and hugged and started walking home.

“Is everything set at home?” she asked.

“Yes. Elyse and Katy will have everything ready for us after our appointment with Doctor Green. They have everything under wraps, so Kara won’t know what’s going on.”

Jessica laughed, “Yeah, right! She knows it’s her birthday, and I’m sure she knows you have something planned!”

“True.”

We finished our walk home and relaxed in the great room with cups of tea while we waited for Kara to arrive home from IIT. She was quickly approaching graduation from the Master’s program and was waiting to hear from IIT about a possible adjunct professor position. She’d also interviewed for positions at the University of Chicago, Malcolm X College, Roosevelt University, and Harold Washington College, which had been renamed from ‘Loop College’ two years earlier for the former Mayor who had died in office. She was confident that she’d be teaching at least one class in the Fall. She’d also applied to IITRI — an independent research center located on the IIT campus.

Kara arrived home about twenty minutes after we did, and after hugs and more birthday greetings, we headed to Doctor Green’s office for our ‘couples’ counseling session. We’d tried to re-schedule, but in the end, it couldn’t work out, and we wanted to keep to the rules of Jessica’s recovery program, which was nearing its end. We’d already missed several sessions.

He opened with his usual question.

“Any issues this week?” he asked after greeting us.

“Yes,” I said. “I made a serious error in judgment and hurt Kara pretty badly.”

“OK. Tell me about it.”

I described the situation with Becky, holding nothing back, and though I didn’t give any specific details about sex, I was completely open about what happened and why.

“Ethically,” Doctor Green said, “I’m not supposed to say something like this, but given our relationship over the past year, I feel I have to. Are you out of your God-damned mind?”

“Apparently so,” I agreed, doing my best not to sigh.

“Kara, how did you feel about this?” Doctor Green asked.

“Like he stuck a dagger in my heart,” she said softly.

“Steve, I’m curious; why would you even ask about going to the wedding when you knew how badly you hurt Kara by having relations with that girl?”

“Because I don’t always consider other people’s feelings when I make decisions. I was insensitive and careless in this case. I’ve done it before. And I’ve been called to account about it before, most directly by my friend Karin, but others. And obviously, I haven’t learned my lesson.”

“What was your reasoning?” Doctor Green asked.

“There were a couple of reasons. One is that her dad is an important customer, and I’ve been friends with him since High School. Second, I consider Becky a friend.”

“After everything she did to you?”

“Yes. I forgave her for that long ago,” I said.

“YOU forgave her,” Kara spat. “I never did.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I already sent back the card declining the invitation, which I should have done immediately.”

I’d also called Alyson in Madison and asked her to get a message to Becky about why I couldn’t attend. She’d promised to do so. I still had the concern of how I’d tell Ben, and I’d have to come up with something. I also couldn’t send a gift because if Kara ever found out I’d done so, it would be the end.

“I’m not sure what else you want me to do,” I continued. “I’ve already promised not to see or speak to her and to only see Ben for business reasons. I’m done seeing Doctor Mercer, and Bethany and I are talking on the phone, so I don’t even need to go to Ohio anytime soon.”

“I know,” Kara said, nearly in tears. “It’s just difficult.”

“I’d say we have some work to do,” Doctor Green said. “Jessica, do you have anything to add up front?”

“Just that I should have given Steve different advice. I didn’t think about the situation properly, either.”

“May I ask if there is a woman that would cause this kind of problem for you?”

Jessica smiled, “There was, in the past; she’s married and has a child now. Steve has a firm rule about not being with anyone involved in a serious relationship.”

“I’m curious, then. Wouldn’t that put Becky off limits?”

“Yes,” I said. “It would. But Kara doesn’t trust me. Or Becky. And I think we all understand why that is.”

“There are two areas I’d like to explore for the rest of our time and next week if we need to. And that’s Steve’s apparent blindness to Kara’s feelings, but also how issues like this are communicated amongst the three of you.”

The next thirty minutes were mostly uncomfortable as both of my wives relayed a litany of instances where I hadn’t considered their feelings sufficiently. Fortunately, most of the things they talked about were prior to Jessica’s meltdown, and they both agreed that, overall, I’d been doing better since then. That was little consolation, but it did help. We ran out of time before we got to the communication part of the conversation, and Doctor Green put that off until our next session. We thanked him and left his office for the walk home.

“I’m sorry we ruined your birthday,” I said when we got outside.

“But you didn’t!” Kara said brightly, taking me by surprise.

“You lost me,” I said.

“It doesn’t ruin the day when you show that you love me enough to admit your faults.”

“Have you ever doubted my love for you, Honey?” I asked.

She nodded, “When you told me about Becky. Both times. I could never figure out how you could have done that if you truly loved me. I’m still not sure.”

“But you know that I love you, right?”

“Oh yes! But can you understand why I would doubt it?”

“Absolutely. Nine years later, I’m still in awe of how you responded that first time.”

“There were times when I doubted the wisdom of what I did.”

“And now?”

“I don’t regret it because it led me back to you, and then to Jessica, and to Birgit, Albert, and a baby growing inside me.”

“I’m sorry I caused you pain, Honey.”

“I’ve forgiven you. Let’s just go home and have our romantic dinner in the Indian room which you planned!”

“Told you!” Jessica laughed.

I could only laugh and continue our walk home, with Jessica and I each holding one of Kara’s hands. At home, Elyse ushered us into the Indian room, which had been set up for a nice, private, romantic dinner. Katy and Elyse served us each course in turn, until dessert, when they brought chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and cherries.

“A Kara sundae for dessert?” Kara giggled. “Yes, please!”

Elyse laughed as she set the things on the table, and then she and Katy cleared our dishes away. They shut the door behind them when they left.

“Two,” I chuckled. “And Jessica wants sloppy seconds!”

“That way, I get TWO kinds of cream!” Jessica giggled.

“Shush!” Kara said insistently. “Less talking, more eating!”

I got up and locked the door, then Jessica and I stripped Kara naked. I put a folded blanket across the low table, which was big enough for our purpose, and we helped Kara onto it. I quickly created my sundae with drops of chocolate sauce on each of Kara’s nipples and a small drizzle on her labia. I added whipped cream and cherries and spent the next ten minutes feasting on whipped-cream-and-chocolate-covered breasts and pussy.

When I finished, I removed my own clothes and knelt between Kara’s legs, and slowly pushed my rock-hard shaft into her dripping pussy. I moved my hands to Kara’s breasts and tweaked her nipples while I gently fucked her.

“Steve,” Jessica whispered, “after your first spurt, pull out and cum on her so I can lick it off.”

The vision of THAT instantly increased my pleasure to the point where I had to concentrate on giving Kara an orgasm before cum blasted uncontrollably from my dick. The first spurt went deep inside, but then I did as Jessica asked and pulled out. Jessica grasped my shaft and stroked me as several hard spurts painted Kara’s labia. When the last one had left my body, I moved to kiss my pregnant wife.

“That was awesome!” Kara giggled.

“My turn!” Jessica said. “With special sauce!”

She quickly created her own sundae, which included my cum, and set about eating it. I watched as Kara writhed in pleasure as Jessica feasted on the ‘sundae with special sauce’ that she’d prepared. Jessica made sure she got every bit of her sundae, and Kara showed her appreciation with several loud moans as successive orgasms wracked her body.

“Tiger, let me get you hard,” Jessica growled.

I stood up, and she knelt in front of me and expertly sucked me to full mast. I moved between Kara’s legs and spent the next twenty minutes sliding in and out of her. After her fourth orgasm, I let myself go, and this time, Kara got all the ‘special sauce’ to herself. We washed with washcloths and water from a large basin that Elyse had set in the corner and then donned our robes to head to the sauna, which Elyse had pre-heated for us.

“We’ll have cake and ice cream with everyone after the sauna,” I said. “All the kids will be there, too. That’s when you’ll get your presents!”

Kara giggled, “Who do you think I am? Jesse?”

“No, I just didn’t want you to think that we didn’t have cake, ice cream, and presents.”

“Being with you, Jess and the kids is all I need,” Kara sighed.

“How’s our new little bundle of joy doing?” I asked.

“Just fine! I have my next pre-natal exam in just over a week. Doctor Robertson has said everything is going well. Birgit is expectantly awaiting a little sister!”

“And Jesse has the boys on a warpath for a brother,” Jessica laughed. “It seems like everyone besides us is having boys except for Penny. Tiger, has Melanie said anything about being pregnant?”